


Rain Can't Put Out Fires

by orphan_account



Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: Addiction, Alternate Universe, Blow Jobs, Crossdressing, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Gun Violence, Past Relationships, Slice of Life, Working title, asshole Kyoya, mentions of pegging, multiple OCs - Freeform, non-binary kaoru, ratings may change over time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 06:55:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23467231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: A random story idea I had, in which Hikaru, Kaoru, and Haruhi all live in a (currently unnamed) modern city in the US.
Relationships: Fujioka Haruhi/Hitachiin Hikaru
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	1. Out of Control

**Author's Note:**

> I know some of y'all might be waiting for an update on For the Love of Revenge!, but I had this idea and I couldn't focus until I started working on it. I promise that story is still in progress and will be updated soon.
> 
> This fic is a lot darker than what I normally write and is written in a different. The idea struck and I went with it. The ratings/tags will more than likely change as this goes on. Feedback, thoughts, etc. are always loved and appreciated. <3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Song by Nothing's Carved in Stone

_Surely the smell of coffee will wake her up._ Hikaru thought, regarding the tightly curled lump of his best friend’s form on the couch. Even though she was wrapped in a large afgan, he could tell she was still wearing the clothes she had gone out in the night before. With a long sigh, he crossed into the dirty kitchen area of their small apartment and shoved a pile of takeout containers to make room for the coffee maker. He would clean, eventually. 

That’s what he told himself anyway. But he was sure that Cass and Kaoru, the other two inhabitants of the apartment, told themselves the same thing, yet it would be at least another week before any of them made an effort. The landlord made his inspections on the third week of every month, always on a Wednesday. Even though Cass wasn’t technically on the lease, she stayed there often enough to be considered a permanent resident. Hikaru often wondered if she was actually paying rent at her real place.

Hikaru lit a cigarette, letting it dangle from the corner of his mouth as he measured the coffee grinds. Cass liked her coffee strong, Kaoru preferred his on the weaker side. He wasn’t sure if Kaoru would be home any time soon, so he measured based on Cass’s preferences. Hikaru only drank coffee with copious amounts of cream and sugar, so the strength meant little to him. 

He set the machine to brew before going back to the living room. He sat in one of the battered recliners and smoked quietly, observing his surroundings. Their living room was a disaster, as usual. He and his twin had gathered a random assortment of furniture over the years--there was the overstuffed leather couch where Cass was sleeping, the dark blue loveseat that had obviously belonged to a cat owner, and two recliners. One had a dish towel permanently tucked around the seat cushion, an attempt to cover the large tear in the fabric. The seating was arranged around a scratched coffee table that was littered with empty cans and cigarette ashes. 

Cass had brought in her own touches over the last several months. She had started staying over more after her most recent relationship had ended, and with that came a semi-new TV that they had precariously mounted to the wall. There were other seemingly random items that she claimed she no longer had room for--the fake potted ficus, a floor lamp, and two end tables. Hikaru knew better than to ask why she no longer had the space for these things. 

Their walls were covered in posters. Some covered cracks, others covered holes. Hikaru assumed the carpet had once been white. He stopped trying to clean it after a dozen or so drinks had been spilled. The linoleum in the kitchen wasn’t in much better shape. 

_God, why won’t she wake up? Is she breathing?_ Hikaru’s amber eyes rested on Cass. He could faintly see her chest moving. He had no idea when she had gotten there. Frowning, he pulled out his phone and started scrolling through Instagram, ignoring the dozens of notifications he had gotten from the night before. He finally came to a post from Cass, yet another drunken selfie with a less-than coherent caption, timestamped at just after 3 am. It was just after 11 now. 

He studied his friend’s face in the photo, taking in her sharp features and bright blue eyes, exaggerated by the heavy eyeliner she always wore. Her dark lipstick was smudged, from bottles or kisses or cigarettes, he wasn’t sure. Cass had her vices. Not like he was one to talk. Hikaru was a self-described attention whore, something that had garnered him quite the social media and YouTube following. It wasn’t a “real” job, but it kept him afloat. 

The coffee maker beeped. Hikaru stood, jerking his jeans over his thin hips from where they had fallen once he’d sat down. He needed to eat more to match his gym regimen, he told himself. He also needed to shower more and stop smoking and start a skincare routine. Would he? He told himself he would, of course, first thing tomorrow. 

Hikaru slowly carried a full mug of coffee to where Cass was sleeping. “Hey. You need to get up already. I’ve got shit to do.”

“Fuck off.” Cass grumbled. Despite her words, she slowly untangled herself from the blanket, her skinny limbs emerging from the bundle she had created around her frame. She looked up at Hikaru with a dazed expression. “The hell’s wrong with you?”

“Don’t you have work?” Hikaru ignored her question. He sat down at the edge of the couch, holding the coffee toward her.

She rolled her eyes and forced herself into a sitting position. She took the coffee from him, holding it to her lips. “What day is it again?”

“Thursday?” Hikaru checked his phone screen. “No. Tuesday.”

“Long night for you too?” Cass grimaced slightly, the coffee burning her tongue as she took a tentative sip. 

“Just can’t keep up.” Hikaru shrugged. The days seemed to blur together more and more lately. It hadn’t been long since he’d dropped out of college for the third time, and the lack of routine had caught up to him. It wasn’t for lack of intelligence--Hikaru was as smart as they came, school was just a hindrance to his preferred lifestyle. “Where were you?”

“Gabby’s. There was some punk band playing.” She ran a hand through her dyed black, pixie cut hair. Her eyes widened slightly before she held her hand in front of her face. Her nails, normally long and pointed thanks to acrylics, were short and jagged with varying lengths. “Oh my fuck.”

“That looks painful.” Hikaru grabbed her hand and examined the damage. Two of her nails were broken to the quick, the others were in only slightly better condition. He knew she’d been particularly fond of her most recent set of nails, black with blood red detailing on the tips. “Who’d you fight?”

“No one.” She stood up suddenly, spilling a few drops of coffee to the carpet in the process. Her hand went to the waistband of her tight jeans, where Hikaru knew she kept a 9 mm Glock holstered at nearly all times. Satisfied that it was still there, she calmed slightly and tugged it out of place, putting it on the coffee table. “I remember some chick was smarting off to the bartender. I might’ve punched her.”

Hikaru noted she was wearing one of Kaoru’s band shirts. Between the three of them they had more clothes than they knew what to do with. Her large pin-up girl tattoo barely poked out from the hem of her sleeve. “Your hand hurt?” 

“Fuck no. My head does.” She took a longer drink of coffee and adjusted her shirt over her jeans. 

“Then you didn’t hit the bitch hard enough.” Hikaru smirked. He returned his attention to his phone, finally going through the alerts he’d received from the night before. There was a message from his editor, telling him that another video was ready to review. Texts from Kaoru and Haruhi, both asking if he was awake yet, and the stream of notifications from YouTube and Instagram, alerting him of comments on his posts. 

He absently responded to Haruhi and Kaoru, letting them both know that he was awake. He made a note to review the video as soon as he figured out what Cass was up to for the day. She was his best friend, sure, but she could be a lot to handle when she was in one of her moods. He worked his way through his emails, listening to the sounds of Cass’s boots thudding on the floor as she moved around the kitchen. After a few moments he heard the sound of a trash bag being flung open. 

“What’re you doing?” He called, not looking up from his phone. “Don’t you have work?”

“What time’s it? My phone’s dead and this damn oven is never right.” Cass started shoving containers into the bag, attempting to clear space from the small counters. 

“11:22.” Hikaru shifted his weight and turned around to face the kitchen. “Seriously, what are you doing?”

Cass waved the now half-full bag in her hands. Her pale face was flushed, bringing more attention to her smeared makeup. “Cleaning. I’ve got like, four hours and I need space if I’m going to cook us something.”

“Do we even have food here?” Hikaru made no attempt to try and help her. The pair were alike in the sense that they insisted on doing most things alone. Hikaru knew she’d yell at him if him tried, just as he would yell at her. “And is that four hours before you’re late, or four hours until you actually have to be there?”

“Fuck off, Hika. I’m never late.” Her face twisted in laughter before she could complete the sentence. She continued clearing off the counter. “I bought some stuff last night. I don’t get paid again until Friday, so it ain’t much.”

“What’d you spend?” Hikaru narrowed his eyes. He knew she didn’t make much at her kitchen job. He had a feeling that she did other work on the side, but she wouldn’t tell him if he asked. 

Cass ignored the question. She turned her back to him and started humming, a clear indication that she wanted to be left to her own devices. He watched her work for a moment. She was a flurry of activity, despite what he knew had to be a killer hangover. She wasn’t like his twin, who would use any excuse to stay in bed for an entire morning. 

Cass had quite literally ran into their lives nearly two years ago. Hikaru and Kaoru had just left a bar in a less than desirable part of town when they heard footsteps rapidly approaching behind them. She had long hair back then, Hikaru remembered, and it was bright purple. She immediately wrapped her arm around a startled Kaoru once she had caught up and began tugging him along with her.

“Look, I totally respect you and your life decisions babe, but there’s about six asshats in there who were about to follow you.” She spoke as quickly as she moved. “Great eyeshadow, by the way.”

Kaoru’s face had turned red. Hikaru had known how hard it had been for his twin to finally go out in feminine clothing. He had watched him painstakingly pick out an outfit and style his shoulder-length orange hair before finally agreeing to leave their apartment. He was still noticeably male, thanks to his Adam’s apple and lack of curves.

“I’ll show you places that’ll be more accepting, okay? That bar just attracts the wrong type. Where do you live? Close? My place might be closer.” She finally gave Hikaru a sideways glance. “I’m Cassandra. Cassie. Cass. Whatever’s easy.”

“Are you drunk?” Hikaru grabbed his brother’s arm in an attempt to pull him away from Cass. “What the hell are you on about?”

“Dude, you’ve got to pay more attention.” She looked over her shoulder. “See for yourself.”

Hikaru and Kaoru followed her gaze to see a group of men leaving the bar. They were walking intentionally in their direction. Kaoru whimpered softly while Hikaru’s temper flared. He could sense the group’s malice towards them based on their body language. He knew he had to get Kaoru away from them before things got worse. 

“Cass, we’ve got a fifteen minute walk from here.” Hikaru’s hand twisted around Kaoru’s. 

“Take my keys.” Cass reached into her cleavage and tugged out a set of glittery keys. “Go. I live on the next street over, the Vandermont building. Third floor, room 10.”

Kaoru’s voice was soft. “Are you going to be okay?”

“They try anything and I’ll shoot them. Fuckers don’t scare me.” She half-smiled. “I’ll meet you two there soon.” With that, she released her hold on Kaoru’s waist and turned away, her hair whipping over her shoulders.

“Kao.” Hikaru tugged Kaoru forward, trying to ignore the voices behind them. He forced Kaoru to move quickly, despite knowing his brother was adjusting to wearing heels. He could hear Cass’s taunts slowly fade as they rounded the corner, eventually finding her building thanks to the dimly lit street lights. 

Her apartment was a piece of work, Hikaru decided once they had gotten in. It was a typical studio loft, and Cass had seemingly attempted to fill every inch of space with eclectic decor. The couch was covered in a bright pink throw blanket, and from the look of it she often slept there rather than the bed. The space smelled like incense and stale cigarette smoke. 

Kaoru was shaken. Hikaru could easily detect his twin’s stress, even without him vocalizing his feelings. Twenty three years of knowing a person made reading their emotions simple, especially when it was your own twin. As much as Hikaru had wanted to confront the men himself, he knew that letting his temper flare would have only stressed his twin further. 

“Come here, Kao. Shoes off.” Hikaru gently took Kaoru’s arm and led him to the couch. Kaoru unsteadily lowered himself down and tucked his knees beneath him, pulling his simple grey skirt around him. “You okay?”

“I shouldn’t have done this.” Kaoru covered his face with his hands. Hikaru found himself grateful that Kaoru had decided against wearing the bodycon dress he had originally picked out. While the black lacy top he wore was thin, it still offered him more protection on his shivering frame. “I should’ve kept this between us. I’m so fucking stupid, Hika.”

“Those bastards are the stupid ones, Kao.” Hikaru growled. He struggled to keep his temper controlled. He had known Kaoru had a deep-seeded feminine side long before he started cross dressing. In fact, he hadn’t been surprised when Kaoru first started experimenting with makeup and growing out his hair. “Who gives a fuck about what they think? You should do what makes you happy.”

What bothered him the most, however, was that this was a world completely unknown to him. He knew what Kaoru needed when his heart was broken and when work got under his skin, but this was a different situation entirely. Hikaru could easily beat the shit out of anyone who dared harm Kaoru, but how could he help him recover from the aftermath?

“Do you think Cassandra has anything to drink?” Kaoru asked softly. “Think she’s alright?”

“Did you see her, Kao? She’s either a trained assassin or completely insane.” Hikaru managed a chuckle. He walked to Cass’s small kitchen, just feet away from her living area. He found an empty glass on the counter. “Tap water alright? I feel kinda strange going through her fridge.”

Kaoru made a small affirmative noise. Hikaru returned to Kaoru, full glass in hand, and sat beside him. His twin curled into his side, a familiar position for the two of them. They stayed there in silence for a few minutes, with Hikaru absently running this thumb over Kaoru’s exposed collarbone. 

The silence was eventually broken by a series of loud thumps against the door. Hikaru jumped, the noise startling him. He tentatively broke away from Kaoru and moved to the door. He could see Cass’s bright purple hair through the peephole.

“The door was unlocked, you know.” Hikaru said as he swung the door open, irritation in his voice. 

“Y’all could’ve turned the lights on.” Cass was unphased by Hikaru’s tone. She flipped the light switch, illuminating the small space with white Christmas lights that lined the entire room. Hikaru took the chance to look her over. She was pretty, sure, with angular features and a thin frame. She stood nearly at his height, thanks to a pair of bright red platform heels. He could see her phone peeking out of her cleavage. “Your sister okay?”

“Yeah.” Hikaru whispered, having never referred to Kaoru as his sister, even when he wore feminine clothing. 

“Twins, right? I assumed. You two look so similar.” She flashed Hikaru a somewhat shy smile. He noticed a bruise forming on her jaw, her heavy makeup somewhat obscuring the mark. She crossed the room and knelt in front of Kaoru, who regarded her with wide eyes. “Hey. You ain’t gotta worry about them. Just a bunch of sick assholes.”

“How’d you know they were going to follow me?” Kaoru’s voice held a heavy amount of emotion that Hikaru couldn’t quite identify. 

“I was sitting close enough to hear them.” Cass shrugged. “I’m glad you weren’t.”

“What’d they say?”

“Nothing you’re gonna hear from me.” She tentatively took his hand in hers. “Look, I don’t know what you’re going through, but I know how cruel people can be. I might not be there to keep you from hearing it next time, so you can’t let it get to you.”

Kaoru stared at the floor, no longer able to meet her eyes. Instead he focused on one of many burn marks in the carpet, wondering if being himself would be worth facing the hateful bigots still remaining in this world. “They hurt you.”

“No they didn’t.” That was the first of many times Cass would lie to them. “What should I call you?”

Hikaru watched the scene unfold as Kaoru released Cass’s hand and slowly touched the bruise on her face, his fingertips just barely brushing her skin. Hikaru saw something in Kaoru’s eyes that he thought he’d never witness again. Kaoru rarely connected to anyone. It took years of knowing Hikaru’s girlfriend, Haruhi, before he grew comfortable around her. But there was a wall that fell on that night. 

“My name’s Kaoru.”


	2. Dirty Little Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Song by All-American Rejects

_“Why can’t I touch you?”_

_It was a question Kaoru had asked Cassandra multiple times before. Each time he had been met with a dismissive smile, a change of subject, or a simple apology. She had no shame in bearing her body to him, showing off all the scars and tattoos on her milky white skin. There were stories behind the scars--one was a burn from a kitchen mishap, another on her thigh from the time she had taken too many antidepressants and thought she’d be numb forever, the small incision from her appendix removal. Then there was the ugly scar on her back, just beneath her right shoulder blade, the reason why she always kept a gun._

_“I think we should stop this.” Cassandra’s voice had been quiet. She had rolled away from him, leaving him sticky with sweat and his own cum drying on his stomach. He could only watch with confused eyes as she stood up from his bed and unceremoniously removed the strap-on she’d used on him, slick with lubricant._

_“Why?” He knew better than to ask. Intimacy with Cassandra wasn’t something that came easy. She was domineering, forceful. Despite this, he longed for her. He wanted to push inside of her and fuck her until she came, just as she did for him. The first time he tried, she’d thrown him away from her with a surprising strength. He could touch her breasts, her face, her hips, maybe her ass if he was lucky. But anything that could result in her experiencing true pleasure was immediately met with rejection._

_“Because you ask so many goddamn questions.” Her words were laced with venom. He knew she didn’t mean it. She had been defensive ever since he’d known her. She could be worse than Hikaru._

_“Then I’ll stop asking.” He’d meant it, too. They’d had this arrangement for three months. Even though she’d been emotionally distant and cold, he’d been able to sense her guard slipping. She had been clear from the beginning that she would never have a relationship with him, even though the feelings were there._

_“Like hell you will.” She’d pulled on her jeans and tank top, not bothering with a bra. He could see the rounded barbells in her nipples poking through her shirt. “This is over, Kao.”_

_They would remain civil. Hikaru liked her too much for Kaoru to stop allowing her to come over. He would pretend that he didn’t mind when she showed up to their apartment smelling of sex and cologne. He would pretend not to mind when she announced that she was moving in with her boyfriend and wouldn’t be coming over as often. And he’d listen to her spout off when things eventually ended and she moved in with another lover after another._

_He wondered if they had something he didn’t._

But there was no sense in focusing on something that happened nearly a year and a half ago.

Kaoru kept odd hours thanks to his early morning shifts as a barista at Coffee & Spoon, a local hipster joint that was within short walking distance from his apartment. It was exhausting work for him--not because of the 5 am start time, but because of the constant interaction. He often failed at that aspect, but he made a damn good cup of coffee, so the owner allowed him to stay on. Still, he could appreciate being able to express himself freely with polished nails and the light makeup he’d learned to perfect. His customers didn’t mind if he showed up to work with stubble or in one of his favorite bohemian-style skirts. 

He came home knowing that Cassandra would be there. She’d been there more often than not over the last few months. She wouldn’t explain to either him or Hikaru about what had happened with her most recent relationship, other than giving a few choice words whenever his name was brought up. 

He opened the door to hear Haruhi’s voice ringing through the small space. “He’s such a prick, Hika, you have no idea. Not only does he expect me to show up at least 15 minutes early, he requires, and I quote ‘excellent upkeep of my personal appearance, both in the office and in front of clients’.”

‘’Want me to kill him?” Hikaru and Cassandra spoke at the same time, an annoying habit they’d picked up. 

“Could make it a contest, see who gets to him first.” Kaoru smirked, surveying the scene as he stepped inside. The apartment was cleaner than normal, inspection having been the day before. It wouldn’t take long before the smell of smoke would overtake the air freshener they’d used and for the bottles and food containers to start piling up again. “Who are we talking about?”

“My asshat of a boss, Kyoya Ootori.” Haruhi groaned. She was laying on the leather couch with her bare feet in Hikaru’s lap. She still wore her work clothes,a simple button-up shirt and pencil skirt that barely brushed the top of her knees. “He sent me home early today for whatever reason.”

“Is that such a bad thing?” Kaoru asked. He tossed his keys and wallet on the coffee table before joining Cassandra in the kitchen. She appeared to be in the middle of measuring out coffee for what was probably her third pot of the day. 

“If I knew why it wouldn’t be so bad. I keep expecting that--” she up her work phone, a much newer model than any of them could afford, “--to go off at any time.”

“Fuck ‘em. Once he realizes how hard you work he’ll leave you alone.” Hikaru rubbed her feet soothingly. They all knew how long Haruhi had fought to earn a position as a legal assistant. She was better than the rest of them; she had goals and ambition. As much as Kaoru adored her, he was surprised she even stayed around them. 

“You’ve gone natural on me.” Cassandra turned her attention to Kaoru, indicating the nude polish he wore on his square-shaped nails. Her words were slightly slurred. He didn’t let himself think about why. Not when she was around, anyway. If she would refuse to be vulnerable around him, he would do the same. 

“I’m surprised you can even work in a kitchen with nails like those.” His eyes rested on her long, glittery blue nails. “Aren’t they worried about health codes?”

“I go through a lot of gloves.” Her hands trembled slightly as she started the coffee maker. “‘Sides, I’m not good enough to actually cook yet. Just prep.”

Kaoru leaned against the counter and tugged his phone out of his jeans. He absently started scrolling through Instagram, anything to pull his mind away from Cassandra. “So, when are you going to let us come eat there?”

“Once I’m finally on the line.” Kaoru could tell she was lying through her teeth, thanks to the rapid way she was speaking. “There’s no point in you all coming if I’m not the one cooking for you, you know? That’d be really shitty. Besides, I cook for you guys all the time here.”

“Right.” Kaoru raised an eyebrow. 

“I’m gonna shower. Gotta get to work soon.” She had caught on to his disbelief. For the briefest moment he could see the storm in her deep blue eyes. It was the same storm he’d witnessed when he’d once found her leaning over their toilet, her eyes bloodshot and swollen from tears and puking. She said she loved him that night, a drunk confession he knew she’d never repeat, if she even remembered it. Cassandra drank more than a person ever should, but she rarely let her mask fall. 

Kaoru crossed into the living room once Cassandra had disappeared into the bathroom. WIth a long groan he sat on the floor beside Haruhi’s head, leaning against the leather sofa. Her fingers went to his hair, stroking it gently. He didn’t mind when Haruhi touched him. She had been with Hikaru for five years now, long enough for Kaoru to accept her as family. She’d been there when Kaoru struggled with his gender identity, and had been the one to teach him how to apply foundation without looking like he’d gotten a bad spray tan. 

“Are you going to tell us what’s bothering you?” Haruhi asked. 

“Nah.” Kaoru stretched his arm out and grabbed the remote from the coffee table. “We still need to finish the last season of Gilmore Girls.”

/////

Cass didn’t work in a kitchen. It was only by chance that she knew how to cook well enough to fool Hikaru, Kaoru, and Haruhi. She worked in food service of sorts, sure, but no one there would let her anywhere near a knife, not when they knew why she’d been fired from her last job. She was lucky they would even hire her. She was even luckier that she only carried a few misdemeanor charges to her name. 

There was nothing wrong with being a cocktail waitress. Hell, it paid better than any other legal job she’d ever had. So why couldn’t she tell her friends where she worked? Simple, they didn’t need to know where her extra cash was going. 

She arrived at Vette!, an upscale small plates restaurant that was known for their intimate atmosphere and expert food and drink pairings, making it a perfect spot for the city’s most wealthy businessmen to entertain clients after business hours. Cassandra entered in through the employee entrance, giving a small nod to the chefs as she passed to the dressing room reserved for the female servers. The room had a few lockers lining one wall, where they were allowed to keep their uniforms and other accessories, while the other held mirrors positioned over crisp white countertops. 

“You’re early.” Andrea, one of Cassandra’s coworkers, had already occupied one of the few mirrors that lined the wall. She wore their typical weekday uniform, a short, skin tight black pencil skirt and a tailored button-down. She left several of the top buttons open, as most of them then, exploding the swell of her ample cleavage. Tights were optional, but the patent leather stilettos that donned her feet were a strict requirement. The owner understood his clientele whenever he picked the uniform, knowing that so many businessmen lusted after their young secretaries. 

“Had to get out of the house.” Cassandra shrugged. She opened her locker and began peeling off her jeans and tank top, revealing the matching red bra and panty set that she reserved for Thursday nights. She didn’t have many curves to speak of, but the bra’s ample padding gave her the appearance of a full chest. She carefully tucked her gun within her street clothes. 

“Your special client coming in tonight?” Andrea eyed her through the mirror. Andrea was one of the few coworkers she respected. It was easy to let their customers’ affection and flirtation lead to following them back to their hotels, but Andrea never had never faltered. She was too good to spread her legs for an extra few bucks and everyone knew it. 

“He’s just another rich bastard, nothing special about him.” Cassandra wasted no time in pulling on her uniform, deciding on a whim to forego the usual nude stockings she wore. It was going to be a warm evening, and even with the restaurant’s air conditioning the heat would inevitably make its way into the building. The long brunette wig she wore wouldn’t make things any better. 

Andrea let out a small chuckle as she continued applying her makeup. She took the professional look much more seriously than most, wearing just enough eyeshadow and lipstick to highlight the features of her pleasant face. She wore her natural blonde hair in a tight bun just at the nape of her neck. “Does he know that?”

“Do any of them?” Cassandra brought her makeup bag to the counter. She lined her eyes with a subtle amount of liquid eyeliner, a much smaller amount than what she wore in her daily life. Heavy amounts of mascara and cherry red lipstick would complete her look, giving her the appearance of a professional, if not slightly slutty, personal assistant. It was oddly empowering to her. 

“Some of these assholes need to be put in their place.” Andrea shrugged. Without hesitating, she started pinning Cassandra’s wig to her head, ensuring that it would stay in place through the night. It was a routine of sorts between the two of them, even though Andrea often insisted that Cassandra didn’t need to cover her pixie cut for work. It was ‘cute and charming’, as she put it.

Sophia, another waitress came into the dressing room, barely paying the other two any regard as she started getting ready. Andrea met Cassandra’s eyes and mouthed ‘bitch’ so quickly that Cassandra barely had time to register the action. Andrea wasn’t much for trash talk, especially when it came to the other girls, but Sophia could get under her skin.

“Thanks, Drea.” Cass gave her friend a small wink. She gave her appearance a final glance. It would work for tonight, she decided. She could see the slightest glimpse of her bra poking out from the white fabric of her shirt, giving away just enough without being too scandalous. 

Vette! was on the smaller side, thanks to the owner wanting to keep the place as exclusive as possible. The decor was incredibly clean and modern, with white booths that looked more like expensive sofas and glossy black tables. The walls held expensive abstract artwork, and the entire place was lit by a single chandelier that was positioned over the full bar. There was enough space between the booths to allow for personal conversations and for the staff to move around freely. 

Thursdays typically weren’t busy as the weekends. Not like Cassandra would know. She hadn’t been on long enough for the manager to trust her on their more profitable nights. It would be at least a few more months before that would happen. She didn’t exactly mind--Kaoru and Haruhi rarely worked on the weekends, giving her the chance to spend time with them. Hikaru never took days off, even if he only spent a few hours filming or editing. 

The first part of her shift was blissfully uneventful. Sure, she dealt with the typical innuendos that came from her male customers, coupled with the occasional hand on her waist or brush over her thigh. Her body was not her own while she worked, she knew that, but she was keenly aware of the bouncer’s eyes carefully watching her interactions. He would step in for any of the girls if things got out of hand. 

Not like she trusted him. She was always prepared to drive her palm into someone’s nose if they got too out of line.

It was a few hours into her shift before he appeared. He sat alone at a booth, as usual, with his navy blue tie slightly loosened and the sleeves of his expensive dress shirt bunched at his elbows. He sat with his legs crossed and a calculating look in his grey eyes. 

Cass wondered how Haruhi would react if she knew about her employer’s after work activities. She hadn’t been lying when she offered to kill him. It’d be easy, given her position. She could slip something in his typical double shot of whiskey that would knock him on his ass. Not that she would without good reason. He was an incredible tipper and half-decent company. 

“Mr. Ootori.” Cassandra crooned as she approached him, glass in hand. “Hope I didn’t keep you waiting.”

“Sit.” Kyoya’s command was short. It wasn’t unheard of for patrons to request their waitress to join them, albeit briefly. He had become her regular for the last several months, always coming in on Thursdays late in the evening. She had grown used to his harsh and demanding persona.

She sat down across from him, giving him a good view of her bare legs as she tucked one ankle behind the other. She slid the whiskey over to his waiting hand, letting her fingers linger on his for the briefest of moments before pulling her hand away. They observed each other quietly for a moment. Kyoya was never one for pleasantries, and rarely spoke more than a few words at a time until he had a few drinks in him. 

“Are you hungry tonight?” Cassandra asked, already knowing the answer to her question. 

“Not for anything you can serve here.” He gave her a pointed look as he sipped his drink. He had no reason to be polite to her, although she had seen him be much more respectful to the other waitresses when requesting her. He leaned forward slightly, his elbows resting on his knees. 

“Someone’s in a mood.” Cass raised an eyebrow, painfully aware of the way his eyes watched her mouth as she spoke. It was a game between the two of them, one that they had played many times before. She knew his type, always under the impression that everyone was beneath him. Few were actually worth his time. He ran the top law firm in the city, and the power had clearly gone to his head. 

Kyoya’s lips twitched. He quickly drained his drink, his face showing no signs of discomfort from what Cass knew to be an incredible burn that came with the expensive brand. He held the now empty glass to her. “Another.”

“Rough day?” Cass moved from the booth and took the glass, bending just enough at the waist to give him a clear view of her breasts. His hand circled her wrist, threatening to bruise her skin under his tight grip. 

“Yes.” It was the most honest answer she would ever get from him. His eyes traveled from her face to her neck, then finally resting on her chest. His expression was dark when he released her, allowing her to stand upright once more. “Request your break in thirty minutes from now.”

“Yes, Mr. Ootori.” Cassandra turned from him, trying to ignore the nerves that rose in her stomach. She was under no obligation to comply with his demands, yet she eagerly sought them out. Some sick part of her enjoyed the thrill of being used by a man like him. He reminded her of her place in this world, far below most people, never amounting much. 

Thirty minutes passed quickly. It wasn’t difficult for Cassandra to get away on a slower night. The majority of her tables had come and gone, leaving her with enough pocket money to sustain her for a week. She had half a mind to quickly down two shots of clear vodka, much to the bartender’s annoyance. Drinking on the job wasn’t encouraged, though many of them did it at their customers’ requests. 

Kyoya met her just outside the employee entrance of the building, his pale skin a contrast to the darkness around him. He wordlessly led her across the empty street, long abandoned by the day’s traffic. It was close to midnight, after all. She followed closely behind, her heels clicking on the pavement, until they reached a secluded alleyway. It was almost ironic, seeing someone as refined as Kyoya in such a place. 

“Cassandra.” Kyoya rarely called her by her name, so rarely that she often wondered if he remembered it. He wasted no time in grabbing her upper arms and jerking her against his chest, his mouth crashing down on hers. 

There was no romance, no tender touches or sweet words with their encounters. He had once tried to pay her for her secrecy, being a married man after all, but she quickly declined. This is what she deserved, after all. She wouldn’t give his secrets away, nor would he ever mention hers. An agreement between a power hungry man and a woman desperate for any type of attention. 

His hands roamed her body freely, squeezing her breasts through her shirt and raking his nails over her thighs. Her hands quickly moved to unfasten his belt, already feeling his dick harden beneath her touch. He grabbed her wrists with little warning and shoved her against the brick wall, pinning her arms to her sides. 

“Let me take you.” His breath was hot on her neck. She could hear the wanton desire in his voice. “I want to fuck you sensless, girl.”

Cassandra’s heart lurched. He had never asked for more than her mouth. She had often wondered what it would be like to be pounded mercilessly by him, even though she would never allow herself to go that far. “Here?” 

“Would you prefer that I take you somewhere?” Kyoya’s response surprised her. 

She shook her head violently. “No. Kyoya, that isn’t what--”

Her words were cut short by a low growl from Kyoya’s throat. He jerked her hands over her head and pressed his knee into her crotch, forcing her legs open. “Tell me you don’t want me.”

“I do, but--”

“Then why--” his teeth pressed to her neck, just hard enough to sting without leaving any marks, “--why are you denying me?” 

“Like I’d fucking tell you.” She snapped. She squirmed against his grip, fighting against her body’s needs. 

“Name a price.” Kyoya adjusted his grip so he was holding her wrists with one hand. The other slid under her skirt, finding the waistband of her panties. 

“You’re fucked if you think you can buy me like that.” 

Kyoya stopped suddenly. He brought his eyes to meet hers, a confused look on his normally composed face. “So you’ve been sucking me off on your own accord, not because of the cash I leave you?”

That’s why he tipped so well.

“That a problem?” Cassandra boldly met his gaze, daring him to question her further. Her words struck something in him. Seemingly satisfied with her answer, he released his grip on her wrists and ordered her to her knees.

Her throat would pay for her rejection of him. He kept a strong hand on the back of her head, forcing her to hold still as he relentlessly face-fucked her until saliva pooled down her chin. He didn’t give her the chance to catch a breath between his thrusts, despite the protesting noises that came from her. His face contorted into a sadistic smirk as he clasped his fingers around her nose, further denying her the precious air she craved.

It took everything she had to not finger herself. Arousal pooled between her legs, despite the discomfort. She felt weak, powerless, a sensation that drove her mad with want. She would never admit that he was the one person she willingly submitted to. The lack of emotional connection made it easy. 

He eventually released his grip on her nose, relieving her a bit as his pace quickened. She could feel him twitch inside her mouth as a low groan tore from his mouth, a tell-tale sign that he was coming undone. 

“Swallow it.” His command was breathy, lacking the strength his voice typically carried. He came in hot spurts inside her mouth. She drank him in greedily, not wanting to risk letting a single drop fall from her lips. 

He left her in the alley shortly after, commenting that she should clean herself up before going back to the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ever sit down to finish a chapter then manage to vomit out an extra 2000 words? ^^;
> 
> Yes, Kyoya is a cheating asshole in this one. I couldn't resist throwing him into this fucked up world I've created.


	3. I'm not a Vampire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song by Falling in Reverse

_“Goddamit Hikaru.”_

_Kaoru had learned how to pinpoint the signs of overdose. Sure, he still felt a rush of adrenaline when he found his twin unresponsive on their living room floor, but he no longer freaked out like he used to. In the beginning he’d begged Hikaru to stop using, and when that didn’t work, he begged him to stop injecting while he was alone. “At least let me be here to watch out for you,” Kaoru had pleaded._

_Of course, Hikaru rarely listened._

_“Tell me what to do.” Kaoru had nearly forgotten that Cassandra had followed him home that night. He was still getting used to her being around at the time. Her voice was abnormally calm when she spoke, devoid of emotion._

_“911, tell them he’s OD’ing on heroin. Then Haruhi once they get here.” Kaoru had knelt beside his twin and rolled him to his side in an attempt to clear his airway. Hikaru’s breaths were slow and uneven. “Hika. I need you to wake up now.”_

_Kaoru could barely focus on Cass’s voice as she spoke to the operator, rattling off all she knew to be true about the situation: twenty-three year old male, no, he’s not responding to his name, we’re on the fifth floor, we came home and found him unresponsive..._

_“Go,” Cass had told Kaoru when she’d sensed his reluctance to join Hikaru in the ambulance. She’d tell Haruhi, she’d clean up before he got back. Trust me, she’d said, as though Kaoru had much of a choice in the situation._

_Neither twin had slept well since that night. Hikaru joked that had he known insomnia would be a long-lasting part of withdrawal he would’ve never started in the first place. Haruhi had given him an ultimatum when she’d gotten to the hospital that time--either the drugs went, or she would. She couldn’t chase her dreams if she lived in constant fear of her partner accidentally killing himself chasing a high._

“I want a new tattoo.” Hikaru’s declaration was met with a small scowl from Haruhi. They were having one of their rare days alone in her apartment. Haruhi kept her home much tidier than what the twins did. Haruhi’s apartment was a reflection of her--simple, warm, and inviting. 

“Where at?” Haruhi sounded less than enthused. She had just gotten off work, having spent another long day working under Kyoya Ootori. She knew when she started studying law that she would encounter plenty of obnoxiously rich people, but her boss was on another level. She knew better than to quit, however. The job paid well enough for her to consider going back to school to become a lawyer.

Hikaru lifted his simple white t-shirt and pointed to his right side, along his ribcage. He already had a large tattoo of a white leopard’s face in the center of his chest, a piece he had gotten just over a year ago. “I’m thinking a quote or something. Or maybe a picture of Ranka’s face.”

“Please don’t get my dad’s face tattooed on your side.” Haruhi groaned. 

“Would you let me get your face then?” Hikaru grinned from his relaxed position on her couch. 

“Hell no!”

“Exactly! Ranka would give me a professional headshot for reference.” 

Haruhi rolled her eyes.She thought she would eventually get used to Hikaru’s particular brand of teasing, but five years later he still managed to get under her skin. He knew how to do it all too well, something he proved time and time again. 

She opened her large refrigerator and stared at the contents. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to having a fridge full of food in between paychecks. “What do you want for dinner?”

“Hm. You.” She felt Hikaru’s long arms circle her waist. He pulled her close to his chest and ducked his head down, letting his lips find the delicate skin of her neck. His teeth grazed her earlobe before sucking it gently into his mouth. 

"Hika! You need to eat." Haruhi protested, yet she made no move to stop him. His hand caught her wrist as she reached into the fridge. WIth a swift motion, he pulled her away and shut the door behind them.

“You’re not my mother.” Hikaru mumbled into her hair. His hands roamed her body eagerly, touching all the places he’d grown to memorize over the years. 

Haruhi spun around so that she was facing him, trying to ignore the way his grip shifted so he was squeezing her ass with a renewed vigor. “You’re getting so skinny." 

Still, she could appreciate the toned muscles that were beginning to appear along his arms and chest. She had originally protested when Hikaru started going to the gym with Cass on a regular basis, knowing it would only turn into a competition between the two of them. Cass was stronger than any of them even on her worst days, but that didn't stop Hikaru from trying. 

Hikaru made a disgruntled noise. He kept one arm firmly gripped around Haruhi's waist as he pulled his phone out of his back pocket and quickly typed in a few commands. Once he was finished, he returned his attention back to Haruhi, setting his phone down on the counter. "There. I just ordered a shit ton of sushi. That gives me what, forty minutes to enjoy my girlfriend?"

"Only forty?" Haruhi grinned. This earned her an excited kiss from Hikaru. 

Hikaru smelled like home to Haruhi. She'd grown to love the hints of tobacco mixed with discount laundry detergent and the woodsy scent of his body wash. It hadn't been love at first site, not for her anyway. She was nineteen at the time with a dream, and he had just failed his second semester in college. She supposed that some would find their story romantic: he would show up at the restaurant where she worked just to order a drink and talk to her, and would leave sweet messages on the credit card receipts. She resisted his advances for months until she showed up to work only to find Hikaru and Ranka sitting together in one of the booths, chatting like old friends. 

Their relationship had been rough in the beginning. If Haruhi was earth, Hikaru was fire. 

Almost everything was forgotten, however, when Hikaru pressed his lips to hers and whispered promises she could only pray that he'd keep. 

"Fuck, Haru. There's never enough time when it comes to you." Hikaru's fingers made quick work on the buttons of her shirt. He tugged her shirt off and immediately buried his face in her breasts, kissing all the spots that he knew would set her off. 

"You're so full of it." Haruhi's fingers tangled in his hair, urging him on. He chuckled against her skin and moved to rid her from her skirt, leaving her down to her bra and panties. "Bedroom."

"Yes ma'am." 

///

Kaoru and Cassandra had a routine for the nights when Hikaru and Haruhi escaped from the apartment. It typically involved using hair removal cream on their legs while baking cookies to cover up the unavoidable chemical smell. Cassandra had convinced Kaoru to switch from shaving when she’d spotted razor burns along the inside of his thighs. 

“You know, the bottle says this is supposed to smell like coconut, but it still kinda smells like rotten eggs.” Kaoru emerged from the bathroom, his legs covered in a thick green cream. 

“Really? I think it smells better than it usually does.” Cassandra was standing in the kitchen, an energy drink in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other. She and Kaoru were wearing similar outfits: short cotton shorts and a tank top. Cassandra’s dark circles and pale lips were on full display thanks to her unusual lack of makeup.

“Your nose isn’t exactly the most reliable.” Kaoru gestured to her cigarette. He glanced at the oven timer. “Cutting it a bit close there.”

Cassandra shrugged, the movement causing her to wince slightly. She rolled her right shoulder lightly, a movement that she did so frequently that Kaoru wasn’t sure if she was aware of even doing it. “Takes two seconds to pull them out, then we can fuck off to the bathroom.”

Kaoru let the silence hang between them. He propped one elbow on the counter and pulled out his phone to go through his Instagram feed. There was a post from Hikaru that had hit nearly 500,000 reactions, something about letting his fans pick his next tattoo. Kaoru and Cassandra had both gained a fair amount of social media attention by proxy--it wasn’t unheard of for Hikaru to post vlogs that detailed his daily life. Cass had taken her newfound popularity in stride, while Kaoru found himself having to explain that no, he doesn’t take offense when someone calls him a woman, yes, he/him or they/them pronouns were fine. This happened after Cassandra had taken to angrily responding to harassing comments, only to be met with their fans “shipping” the pair. Honestly, the whole ordeal was exhausting and made him consider forgoing social media all together, like Haruhi had.

At the same time, he found the attention and speculation to be somewhat entertaining. After a few moments of scrolling he swiped over to the camera, angling it so half of his face was in frame, along with Cassandra’s lower half. Her large lotus tattoos above her knees were just barely visible through the hair removal cream. Anyone who was familiar with Cassandra would recognize the tattoos. He posted the photo that included a caption: “Nairing with best girl #notsponsored”.

“I saw that, fucker.” Cassandra sounded amused. She leaned over his shoulder, holding her cigarette away from him, as if it mattered in the small space. “‘Best girl’? Really?”

“A lot of people leave comments calling you best girl.” 

“Yeah, but that implies I’m your best girl.” Cassandra frowned. 

“You are my best girl!” Kaoru set his phone down and turned to face her. He watched as her face uncharacteristically flushed at his words. 

“Fuck off.” She finished her cigarette and stubbed it out in one of the many ashtrays that were around the apartment. She glared at him over her energy drink, her eyes storming. 

“What, am I not allowed to flirt with you now?” Kaoru crossed his arms. He knew better than to pick fights with Cassandra. She could tear him down without thinking twice. 

Much to his surprise, she gave him a smirk that could only be read as trouble. “Only if you can handle me flirting back, sweetheart.” 

It was a dangerous game, one that Kaoru was all too familiar with. They hadn’t slept together since Cassandra had called things off between them, but that never stopped him from pining over her. There was always something that stopped them from going further than exchanging the occasional suggestive comments, the hugs that went on far too long, and the drunk cuddling that happened when Kaoru was in a particularly upset mood. Cassandra was incredibly protective of Kaoru, even when that meant protecting him from herself. 

Kaoru slowly closed the distance between them. He lowered his chin slightly, letting his hair brush over his face. “I think I can handle it.”

Cassandra dragged her thumb over his lips.He could practically feel his heart beating under his shirt, threatening to burst out of his chest. No one had ever had that type of effect on him. He could take rude comments or listen to people call him hateful names without a second thought, but one touch from her could send him spirling. 

Before she could speak, however, the oven timer went off, startling them both. 

“Get the washcloths ready?” Cassandra’s voice was hoarse. Her fingers lingered on his jaw for a moment, until the oven timer went off again.

Kaoru nodded, forcing himself to tear his eyes from hers. “Yeah.”

He could hear a small sigh from behind him as he escaped to the bathroom, followed by Cassandra opening and closing the oven with more force than necessary, letting him know that she was just as affected as he had been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've retroactively added in song titles as the chapter titles. That'll be a theme from here on out. :) I'll let y'all figure out which character each song is referring to!


End file.
